An internal support function returned error

Question

Greetings:

In my contact list, I created two groups. One (A-Board) has 10 members)  The other W-Board has 7 members.

I created an email and sent it to them with a MS Word file as a small 29KB attachment.

Regretfully, when I click send, it returns the following error message. "An internal support function returned error." See attached image. How can I fix this?

FYI, I tested the same attachment in an email to my Gmail account, and it arrived with no problem

Answer 1

Hi @Baha Habashy,

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum.

Thank you for reaching out and sharing the details of the issue you're experiencing.

To make sure I give you the best and most accurate solution, I'll need a little more detail about what you're experiencing. This will help me quickly identify the root of the problem:

• Are the "A-Board" and "W-Board" groups saved as Outlook Contact Groups (Distribution Lists), or are they Microsoft 365 Groups or SharePoint-linked groups?
• Did you create these groups manually in Outlook, or were they imported/synced from another source (e.g., Excel, SharePoint, GAL)?
• Do all members of the groups have valid email addresses (e.g., no missing domains or display names only)?
• Which version of Outlook are you using (e.g., Outlook 365 desktop app, Outlook Web App, Outlook 2019)?
• Is your Outlook account connected to Microsoft Exchange, Office 365, or a POP/IMAP service?
• Does the Error Occur Without Attachments?
• Can you send an email to the same groups without any attachments?
• Does the Error Occur with One Group or Both?
• If you send to only A-Board or only W-Board, does the error still occur?

In the meantime, here are some steps you can try to resolve this issue:

• Verify Contact Group Members

Open W-Board and A-Board in your Contacts.

Check each member:

Valid email format (e.g., name@example.com)

No empty or outdated entries

Remove any duplicates or unresolved names

• Recreate the Groups

Delete the existing groups.

Create new ones manually with verified contacts.

Test sending again.

• Send to Individual Contacts

Try sending the same email to each member individually.

If it works, the issue is with the group structure.

• Run Outlook in Safe Mode

Press Windows + R, type outlook /safe, and press Enter.

Try sending the email again.

If successful, disable add-ins via File > Options > Add-ins.

At the bottom, select COM Add-ins and click Go.

Uncheck all add-ins and restart Outlook normally.

• Create a new outlook profile (if you are using Classic Outlook):

Hold Shift while starting Outlook.

On the profile picker dialog box, select Options. 

Note: Before selecting New, consider selecting the check box for "Prompt a profile to be used." If this is enabled, you will get a prompt every time you start Outlook to pick which profile you want to open. This is helpful when you have multiple profiles and need to switch between them.

Select New

Type a name for the new Outlook Profile and select OK.

Re-add your account and test sending.  

• Check Antivirus or Firewall

Temporarily disable antivirus/firewall.

Try sending the email again.

If it works, whitelist Outlook in your security software.

Kindly let me know your responses to the above questions, and feel free to share any other details you think might help us resolve the issue.

Note: Please understand that our initial response does not always resolve the issue immediately. However, with your help and more detailed information, we can work together to find a solution.

I hope this information is helpful. Please follow these steps and let me know if it works for you. If not, we can work together to resolve this.

Thank you for your patience and your understanding. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.

I'm looking forward for your reply.

 

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Answer 2

Thank you for such a detailed reply. Here is my anser

• Are the "A-Board" and "W-Board" groups saved as Outlook Contact Groups (Distribution Lists), or are they Microsoft 365 Groups or SharePoint-linked groups? A) I created them and saved them as Outlook Contact Groups (Distribution Lists)
• Did you create these groups manually in Outlook, or were they imported/synced from another source (e.g., Excel, SharePoint, GAL)? A) I created them manually
• Do all members of the groups have valid email addresses (e.g., no missing domains or display names only)? ***A) Yes, they are valid addresses that I have used in the past. As you directed later:
  • When I sent the same email with the attachment to an individual's name in one email, it went through OK***
  • When I tried to send the email to the groups, without an attachment, I got the same error
• Which version of Outlook are you using (e.g., Outlook 365 desktop app, Outlook Web App, Outlook 2019)? A) I am "using classic Outlook for Microsoft 365 (the subscription version of Outlook)."
• Is your Outlook account connected to Microsoft Exchange, Office 365, or a POP/IMAP service? A) SORRY. I am not an 83-year-old man, and this is above my pay grade. How can I find out and let you know?
• Does the Error Occur Without Attachments? A) YES
• Can you send an email to the same groups without any attachments? A) No, I tried and it failed.
• Does the Error Occur with One Group or Both? A) Yes
• If you send to only the A-Board or only the W-Board, does the error still occur? A) Yes Note: When I tried to open the group by clicking the (+) I got the following message WOW, Thanks to your guidance, I think for some reason the problem was with the Group (W-Board)

You're great. Thanks again.